The Right Spin On Iraq Resolution

March 04, 1998

The Clinton administration is wisely putting the toughest possible interpretation on the UN Security Council resolution that threatens Iraq with "severest consequences" if Saddam Hussein does not honor his promises to Secretary General Kofi Annan and open all suspect sites in his country to international weapons inspectors.

The United States and Britain had worked for a more explicit resolution that would have authorized an automatic military response if Hussein went back on his word, but France, Russia and China failed to see the clear advantage of an unambiguous warning that future resistance will provoke firepower. The resolution, passed on Monday, reflects their concerns while leaving the door open for U.S. military action.

The administration, which maintains it already has the right to attack Iraq to enforce the terms of the Gulf War cease-fire, insisted the resolution endorsed that position by not specifically barring the use of force. What's more, the administration quite rightly contends it has no obligation to consult the Security Council before launching military strikes against Iraq if Hussein starts dodging and deceiving again.

And Saddam Hussein, for his part, would be wise to pay more heed to Washington's firm rhetoric than to be misled by the council's calculated ambiguity. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. Disarray in the council last autumn over how best to deal with Hussein is what emboldened him to start blocking arms inspectors. And in the ensuing crisis, he has drawn courage from the hope that key council members always will oppose a military attack against him.

It was only when he saw that Washington and Britain were ready to move against him without formal council approval that Hussein backed down and made his last-minute agreement with Annan. And it is only the fear of inevitable reprisals that can compel Hussein to live up to that agreement. It would be tragic if the council's failure to spell out just what it meant by "severest consequences" led Hussein to believe he still has wiggle room.

Those countries that have devoted themselves to forestalling strikes against Iraq must realize they have marginalized themselves now that Washington is prepared to act without them. The surest way for France, Russia and China to save Iraq from attack is to tell Hussein in no uncertain terms he must keep his word this time--or else.